Fever- H1N1

Its been a while since i have written...

I am back on it, but tonight i have just one entry. it isnt very humorous either (sorry).

Heath Care: as a momma of 3 young ones, i went into the urgent care today with my oldest (9)and my assumption was she has the flu. it was interesting to listen to the doctor tell me his advice

"does she have H1N1" i asked, fearful?

"Probably" he replied.
"what?!" I was so afraid, with all I have read and heard about the dreaded Swine Flu

"but its just the flu." he went on

" the way it gets out of hand is when it isnt diagnosed, isnt watched, the patient is pushed to go about living their lives without rest and it turns into pneumonia"

"well that wont happen because i would see if she got really sick" i answered

"exactly" my doctor said. "its not you or your daughter i am worried about. its the patients that dont have the time, or support, to worry about their heath care that are at risk of serious ramifications from H1N1"

I left there feeling really good about the care i give to maggie as a mom, and really badly about the care so many are missing. about those moms and dads that are gone all day, because they dont have a choice. they work all day to come home to yet another flu. "just let them sleep" they must think. i would think that too. If i was tired, at the end of a long day, wanted to come home and be with my family, i would hope rest would cure my child, but it’s not that easy, and the change can happen quickly in kids.
I was told that maggie is at risk for getting pnemoinia. I came home and fed her, took her temp, gave her a bath and put her to bed. and at bedtime, the fever rose again. Pneumonia? Could it be? But I am completely attentive and involved! I have good heath insurance! How could this happen to me? Makes me realize how critical BASIC heath care is for ALL American families. Or we have no chance.

So for those of you out there that DO work full time, that DONT have a health care plan that makes it simple to go see a doctor for that flu, please hear this. First, we are fighting for you. We want to help make it easier by rallying our local government support team and by voting for ways to promote universal heath care. Second: Take a piece of paper and make notes: notate when the fever started, how high it gets and for how long, and pay attention to your health and your children’s health. The flu can be just that, THE FLU, but it can also turn deadly if it isn’t watched. its like anything else in life: Ignore it, and it probably wont go away, it will probably only get bigger.

Be careful & stay healthy